December 10, 1999

New fire station in the works

       Plans for a new White River Township fire station are in the works, but they lack one item — money.  Fire officials recently announced their plan to incur debt for the construction of the $1.4 million building at no cost to taxpayers. White River Township Fire Departments are considered a fire district and aren’t eligible to use Johnson County tax funds. Therefore, officials must plead their case for a third fire station to the State Budget Commission. If approved, the township will use a six-year loan to pay for the building.  The state then would repay the loan. The new fire department, which would be located on the southeast corner of Smith Valley Road and State Route 37, is part of a 10-year Plan devised a few years ago by township officials to improve the fire district. Currently, two fire stations cover the township. The districts are split by Stones Crossing Road. The new station will provide relief in the western sections of the township, said Battalion Chief Michael Tibbetts.  Fire Chief Michael Dutton says the new station will benefit residents in two ways.  “The response time will be reduced and will adequately cover medical problems within the 4-minute national standard,” Dutton said.  The current White River stations lag behind in ratings by the Insurance Services Organization. Upon completion of the third station, homeowners can expect dramatic reductions, almost half, in their fire insurance policies as a result of improved fire protection.  However, if the state funds the building, the township faces another problem — staffing. The entire state has felt pressure from a shortage of approximately 1,500 firefighters.  But even if the manpower was there, the district could not afford them. Dutton says White River Township, which has two full-time fire officers, six full-time and 85 part-time firefighters, is forced to put out area fires with only eight employees per shift.  The National Fire Protection Association, in its 1997 “National Fire Protection Handbook,” recommends a shift of no less than 15 firefighters.  “If we don’t have the personnel, then there is no station,” Tibbetts said. “We barely have the personnel now, and a new station would cut numbers to a minimum level. If someone were to get sick, for example, then it would be very hard to run.”  Bargersville also has examined adding another fire station. Public Information Officer Tom Thorpe said the station will provide a better emergency response time to southern White River Township.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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